The Path of Least Resistance
by Akuma-Chibi
Summary: At times, despite your best efforts, you can't avoid a collision. Kagome is about to have a head on collision with the Supernatural...when she gets an emergency page...from L. But wait...L's dead... Full Summary is Inside
1. A TALK WITH THE DEAD

**The Path of Least Resistance**

**Summary: At times, despite your best efforts, you can't avoid a collision. But even when that kind of situation occurs, you should try to maintain as much control over it as possible so that you can look for a way towards the path of least resistance. Kagome is about to have a head on collision with the Supernatural...when she gets an emergency page...from L. But wait...L's dead...**

**Anime: InuYasha/Death Note**

**Pairing: Kagome/...just wait and see...**

**Genre: Angst/Crime**

**Rating: M**

**-x-x-x-**

**_A__TALK__WITH__THE__DEAD_**

**-x-x-x-**

**November, 10, 2004**

**Kyoto, Japan**

**-x-x-x-**

Kagome Higurashi...what to say; Kagome is head anchor at Nippon News Central Broadcasting Station, where she follows the Kira story...by...the...letter. Despite not putting the topic on air, she holds a keen interest in it, as...the detective going against Kira...is a childhood friend.

So...the question is...how?

**-x-x-x-**

**October, 31, 1984**

**Winchester, London**

**-x-x-x-**

"_Nippon!"_

"_Come and get me old man!" Nippon, meaning...Japan; a five year old genius at Wammy Orphanage, short black hair in a bob cut, bright blue eyes, and a rebellious spirit...at the current, she was being pursued by a much younger, fifty-one year old, Quillish Wammy, founder of her home._

"_I'll show you old! I'm fifty, not dead!"_

"_LIAR!"_

_This banter continued, children turned to see what was wrong, wondering who had gotten their caretaker into such lather, so early in the morning._

_**~SMACK~**_

"_AH~! WAAAATCH OOOOUT~!" She complained loudly, rubbing the back of her head which had connected with the wall behind her after so rudely being knocked down on her butt._

"_Got you!"_

_Her hand was snatched and she was pulled back to the office in which she'd run out of. She threw an angry look over her shoulder and frowned when she saw, the boy sitting there...staring blankly ahead...still on the floor. 'He looks so...sad,' She turned to Mr. Wammy and began a steady pace next to him. Her hand was released when he noted her behaving. "He's new...isn't he?"_

"_Hm? Yes, yes he is."_

"_Old man...what's he go by?"_

"_..." An eyebrow twitched at the name she'd given him, "He...goes by L."_

"_...L..."_

"_Yes, and you...you will be his partner."_

"_...EHHHHHH!"_

**-x-x-x-**

**November, 10, 2004**

**Kyoto, Japan**

**-x-x-x-**

So...self-explanatory, she knew him growing up...insert childhood friend here. Insert...something more...there was, _so_ much more...things no one else knew...no one...a secret that she'd take to the grave...just like she'd taken it when she'd left the orphanage in 1990.

Oh...let's return to that morning...maybe you will understand a little better, as to what brought on this...monologue...

**(12:00 A.M – Eleven Hours Earlier)**

_._

_.._

_..._

_.._

_._

_**~Bottom's up Bottom's up**_

**_throw your hands up_**

**_Tell security we bout to tear this club up_**

**_Bottoms up, bottoms up, pocket full of green_**

**_Girl, you know I love the way you shake it in them jeans_**

**_Bottoms up, bottoms up, throw ya─~_**

"_Mmm?" _Tired blue eyes stared at her cell phone, side glancing at the clock next to her bed; she glared before opening her cell and accepting the unknown numbers text.

**_Nippon...I'm sure by this point you know what's occurred. I have a request, nothing too complicated for you, I'm confident. By this time, my successors have already heard about me from Roger, and as such, they have most likely begun acquiring their own source of information on the Kira case, looking for their own method of solving...this worries me. I would greatly appreciate it...if you could...find them...and, if feasible...push them..._**

**_Together...Near and Mello...will defeat Kira!_**

_**L...Lawliet~**_

...it was silent for a moment, suddenly, she was wide awake, crawling out of bed on her hands and knees in an expensive, opaque blue mini dress that was made of a satiny material with a square neckline, open shoulders, and fluttery sides. She knocked a pair of faux leather, open toed front ankle high-heels with multi cross straps, out of her way as she crossed the floor to her laptop that sat shut on her desk. Not even climbing into her chair, she stayed on her knees, looking over the desk, she opened her laptop, waited patiently as it turned on, the logged in. Right there...on her desktop...a message she'd received November, 5, 2004...only five days ago...

_**Nippon...all data here has been deleted, all of it. As of this moment, Wammy Orphanage has been left...without anyone. Please consider this, you are the only one who I would ever trust to take care of those children...as...L and myself, have been killed by none other...than Kira. We had already known something like this might happen; L had me set up an automatic send the second mine and his heart stopped. He would be alerted immediately...assuming I died first, and would delete all data on the Kira case and the orphans at the orphanage.**_

_**Nippon, watch over Wammy's, give them a future.**_

_**Quillish Wammy~**_

Yes...it was still there...still sitting on her desktop...she couldn't delete it... This had been the first time...in _years_ that she'd heard anything from them...and as she reads it...it's only to find out that...their dead! It wasn't fair...

**-x-x-x-**

**November, 10, 2004**

**Kyoto, Japan**

**-x-x-x-**

**Present**

**-x-x-x-**

'_So...how the hell do I...find them?'_ She stood at the entrance of London's International Airport, _'Would they still be at Wammy's?'_ She mentally scoffed at the thought. In fact, she was sure, one of them, if not both...had already fled from Wammy's. Thinking about it, she would have left too if her idol had just been murdered...or died..._'Suppose it wouldn't hurt to check...'_ Kagome sighed, glancing to her left, she saw the foreign taxi pull up to the curb where she stood and she gave a small wave. The driver climbed out and gave her a good once over; she wore an attractive white knit jumper that had a slightly flared style which gave it a very flattering shape. The intricate pattern on the front added a pretty touch; a white pair of pants were worn, with a black Vivien Caron Coat that touched down past her pant legs, letting no white be revealed, even her heels were black. Her eyes were covered with black sunshades and her hair was pulled back and hidden in a hat. All in all, she looked to be very well done, but not someone you'd want to talk with. In fact, people on the street...were avoiding her. _'Do I look like a contract killer or something?' _She watched the driver place her bags in the back of the trunk, making sure he had everything; she climbed into the back of the cab. "Winchester Orphanage,"

"Got it," He drove, silence, comfortable for her, nerve-racking for him. It was about fifty minutes later that she could see the familiar sight of the well known establishment that her old caretaker had built. She hated traffic, it should have only taken a little less than thirty minutes to get there, but it had instead taken almost an hour.

"This is for the ride, this is if you stay out here and wait for me...I shouldn't be long..."

He stared at the rolled up batch of cash.

"Oh..." Kagome turned to the driver, now a few steps away, "There's more...if you stay, the next destination will be double." With that, she left to the front door of the orphanage, a few kids stopping to look at the strange new visitor.

Kagome brought her hands up subconsciously to her neck, two necklaces dangled innocently there. One which spelt Nippon, the other...the most recent one made...spelt out in an English Book Font...**LAWLIET**...her finger traced the letters as she let her mind wander back to the odd boy whom she'd grown to admire and care for so much. HELL, she jus took off three weeks from work so that she could go in search of his little successors.

Kagome turned at the sound of tapping, the sound of the pattering on a laptop. Now standing on the steps of the orphanage, she was standing next to a boy with red auburn hair and a set of orange tinted goggles that covered his eyes. A cigarette was burning away between his lips as he typed furiously away at his laptop. "..." She crouched down next to him and as he turned to see who was next to him, she snatched the cigarette from out between his lips. "You're wasting it, smoke it or put it out, but don't waste it." She placed it between her own lips and smirked as his mouth kind of dropped open before she straightened up and took a long drag before exhaling and stubbing the cancer stick out against the orphanage's walls. She opened the door and entered without saying anything to the boy, walking past a bunch of others, she caught site of a familiar sight. A boy with lost eyes...sitting on the floor, all alone. She was frozen in place...something horrible familiar drew her to the child...but now was not the time for memory lane. She left the sight behind and made her way to Roger Ruvie's office. She didn't knock, she didn't care to...she, in her mind...no longer had to. "..." He wasn't there yet, so...she sat down, she would wait. While she waited, she thought back to her first time working with L, as kids, they didn't really have much in common, aside from no parents; they had been complete opposites...at first...

**-x-x-x-**

**October, 31, 1984**

**Winchester, London**

**-x-x-x-**

_Nippon stormed through the halls after finally being free of Mr. Wammy and his long lectures of controlling one's emotions and feelings. "One such as yourself should be able to control such loud outbursts. As much as I understand your rebellious nature, I can't fathom the reason for you constantly fighting me...on everything...I'm not asking for much, you won't change your personality, so just...conceal it..." She mimicked in a whiny, high-pitched voice when her eyes caught site to lecture number two. "Also...please be sure to take care of L, I have...high hopes..." She mimicked in the same annoying voice before she pouted, "High hopes...what's that supposed to mean!" She stormed over to the boy who had earlier knocked her down and stared down at him, impatiently tapping her foot with her hands on her hips._

_He was reading a book in the corner of the common room, the book itself was lying on the floor, and he was lifting each page by his thumb and pointer finger one by one._

'_He isn't even looking up!' She growled, "HEY!"_

_He glanced up, and then returned his gaze to the page in front of him. He was her age, FIVE, what the hell was so interesting that he was ignoring her! She seethed irritably and glanced down to see what it was that had his attention so enraptured. '__There is an analogous formula for polynomials of degree three: The solution of ax__3__+bx__2__+cx+d=0 is...WHAT THE HELL!' She looked to him and frowned, "You need...something to do." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, despite his struggling and trying to get away. His hand that wasn't being pulled on by hers, still gripped the book titled __The Cubic Formula__._

_She would knock all of that weirdness out of him...or at least make him more fun to be around. First however, she would have to get to know the weirdo. "So, your 'name'...it's L, right?"_

_He nodded, but said nothing._

"_...right, I'm Nippon, means Japan. Anyways, where did they ship you in from?"_

"_Could you...elaborate?"_

"_..." She stared blankly at him, "Your five, use smaller words!" She sighed, but answered anyways, "Fine, I'll 'elaborate', most of the genii here are brought in from other countries. Like, I'm from Japan, originally, and then, A...I think she's actually from the states. Um...I don't know where B is from...he doesn't talk to anyone...I mean...sometimes he says hi to me...but other than that, he keeps quiet. Oh! K...she's also from Japan! So...what about you...?"_

"_I'm from England...but...I'm part Japanese..."_

"_Wah? Cool! We could be related!"_

"_I highly doubt that..."_

_Nippon laughed, "So when's your birthday?"_

"_..." He glanced away, deciding not to answer that one._

"_Mine was last month!"_

"_..." He turned his gaze back to her, "Today..."_

"_..." She just stared, 'Is that why he looks so sad?' Taking her hand from his, she wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him into a warm hug._

"_**Excuse me,"**_

**-x-x-x-**

**November, 10, 2004**

**Kyoto, Japan**

**-x-x-x-**

**Present**

**-x-x-x-**

Kagome opened her eyes and glanced to her left, the older figure of the man who'd been helping Wammy since it was established, stood right in front of her. "Roger..." She stood up and bowed respectfully. "Nippon, Mr. Roger's...how have you been?"

His eyes brightened considerably at the name, they had been so dull moments ago, but she couldn't imagine them any other way with how the bad news kept on coming. "Nippon, it's been a while. Well, since you're here, I'm sure you know I've been better. Um, what is it...exactly...that you are here for?"

"...L...he asked me to find Mello and Near..."

"...when was this?"

"Actually...about Twelve hours ago..."

Roger sat down as if a great pressure had just fallen on him. "He's been dead si─"

"Since five day's ago...I know...Mr. Wammy told me..."

Roger frowned, "Ho─"

"An automatic e-mil was sent when his heart stopped, and I guess L had the text message set to do the same when his heart stopped. I know all their data on the case and other stuff was deleted...and some other things; however, about Mello and Near, who I'm supposed to find...I know little about the two. Could you tell me a little about them?"

"...ah...yes...Mello...he's been in his room studying for the upcoming exam. I haven't seen breath or hair of that boy for three days. Actually, I wasn't sure if the information I'd received was accurate, I was going to confirm it myself...but since...you are here...I guess it must be true. Oh, forgive me, I got off topic; Near is almost always in the common room or in his room. He doesn't go outside, I don't know much about either of them, I know, Mello is very exuberant...always a leader to those who like following him around, wears only black, and hangs out with his...I assume...best friend, Matt. Near is almost the exact opposite, wearing only white, and withdrawing himself from the others, watching from afar and keeping to himself. In fact...they remind me greatly...of you and L...except, unlike you and L, they can't be in the same room without Mello getting angry or trying to hurt Near... I suppose I should call them in and have a word with them..."

"No...let me Roger. I was closest with L...let me tell the two that will carry on his legacy."

"...fine." Kagome stood to leave when Roger called her back, "I almost forgot, with my old age...it's getting easier to do..." He stood and made his way to a filing cabinet where he opened the third drawer and fingered files before opening one a little and reaching inside.

She caught the file name and smiled, _'1995: L & Nippon _**_CONFIDENTIAL_**_' _She watched him withdraw his hand with a few letters in tow. "What are those?"

"I don't know, I know L gave them to me from time to time. Actually, it was something only he and Mr. Wammy knew, mind you, Mr. Wammy wasn't sure what was written in the letters either, that's between you and L. He's been giving me these since 1995, and his last one was sent November, 4, 2004. Again, I don't know what the say, all I know is that he wanted me to give them to you when you returned...he seemed sure that you would; he said, you _left_ something here...any idea what he meant?"

Kagome took the bundle of letters, there were dozens, "...yeah...I have an idea...um...I'll be in the library. No one should be in there now...right?"

"That's right; everyone is either at lunch or playing outside."

"Alright, see you soon." Kagome left to the library and when she entered, it was as she thought, completely emptied, with only the books and furniture to keep her company. Picking up the first one, she read the date, _'August, 24, 1995; it must be...the reason...the reason he started writing letters...'_ She closed her eyes..._'I should read these another time...I can't right now...my heart's been through too much...since last Friday, all I've heard is bad news...I can't take anything else.'_

"Who the hell are you?"

Kagome's eyes snapped open and she turned to see a boy with blonde hair and bright baby blue eyes that stared curiously and intensely at her. She sighed, "Goodness, you surprised me. You must be a hardworking student, huh?"

"Humph, of course, L won't look twice at you if you don't work hard." He walked around the table she sat at and sat across from her, "I'm trying to become the next L, so I have to beat Near; who are you?"

"...the next L?"

"Yeah!" He stared, "Don't tell me you don't know who L is!"

Kagome pat herself on the back mentally, she was an Ace Evader when it came to questions, she could evade all of them...well...most of them, even she couldn't evade L's constant questioning. "Oh, no...I know L, I was just wondering about becoming the _next L_...as you put it."

"L is Law, I want to be the Law."

"...HAHAHA!" She clutched her stomach as she laughed, "L is not the Law...he's amazing...a genius in his own right...he's a lot of things...but he's not the Law. He's...he's more like...a fallen and corrupt angel...something so dark...yet at the same time...he's innocent...he's just..." She sighed, "He's perfect..."

The blonde stared...then broke out laughing similarly to the way she had.

"WHAT!" She shouted, completely flustered that some fourteen or fifteen year old brat was laughing at _her_. "Kid, I will string you upside down!" His laughter didn't cease, it only got louder. She sighed, "Well, I should really get going, see ya." She stood and left the room.

"Wait!" She turned to see him running after her with her letters, "Your letters!...huh?" He stared, "This say's _'From L'_..."

Kagome wanted to strangle the kid for what he did next.

The boy opened the top letter that she'd earlier put down and read it, she rushed towards him, but by the time she'd snatched the letter away from him, he was already staring wide eyed with shock and surprise evident in his eyes, his eyes which were staring straight at her.

"...you're..." He frowned, "No way...that's not possible...that's not fair!" He turned and was out of her sight before she could ask what the letter had said. A sudden thought hit her, she hadn't asked his name, but remembering something Roger had said, she figured the outgoing, loud and all black wearing boy to be none other...than Mello..._'Mello...the one who hates Near...well...he seems nice enough, but, maybe there is something that really bugs him about this boy, Near.'_

She looked back down at the letter that was now open in her hand and sighed, flipping it over so that she could read it right side up, she read the rather neat hand writing of the, the time, sixteen year old teen boy, L...L Lawliet.

As she read, she felt her heart speed up and her face flush, her nerves were in a bundle and she was sure she was going to cry. She couldn't believe he'd done something like that...for a _hunch_! _'So he knew...L...I'm so sorry...I was afraid...I was scared...and, I was weak.' _She silently cried, the truth was out...her secret... "And of all people to find out...oh, Mello..." Kagome sighed, but a small smile formed on her lips, _'At least some good came from it...he didn't die not knowing...that he was a father...'_

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: I hope you guys like this chapter, I've wanted to type this story up for a while! Please send me reviews and tell me what you think about the chapter and the story line and idea in general! Please and Sankyu!**


	2. THE TRUTH

**The Path of Least Resistance**

**Summary: At times, despite your best efforts, you can't avoid a collision. But even when that kind of situation occurs, you should try to maintain as much control over it as possible so that you can look for a way towards the path of least resistance. Kagome is about to have a head on collision with the Supernatural...when she gets an emergency page...from L. But wait...L's dead...**

**Anime: InuYasha/Death Note**

**Pairing: Kagome/...just wait and see...**

**Genre: Angst/Crime**

**Rating: M**

**-x-x-x-**

**_The __Truth_**

**-x-x-x-**

**November, 10, 2004**

**London, Winchester**

**-x-x-x-**

Kagome wanted to find the blonde soon, but it seemed he was hell bent against being found. She saw the boy from before, the small smoker that she'd stolen the cigarette from prior to entering the building. He noticed her waving him over and walked up to her curiously. "Have you seen Mello around?"

"Mello?" He shook his head no, "But I know where you can find him."

"Really?"

"If he's mad, then he's studying." He took her hand in his and pulled her off up the stairs towards the bedrooms. She didn't know how many they had passed by, but she was sure that it was somewhere next to a hundred.

"You, your name wouldn't happen to be Matt...would it?"

He stopped walking and turned his goggle covered eyes on her. "Yeah, I am. How do you know my name?"

"I don't, I know your alias." She smiled, "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Kagome."

"Your alias is Japanese?"

"Yep..." She grinned, _'Nippon is Japanese, but that isn't my alias that I gave...'_ She ushered him onwards, trying to get him to continue, which he did. Looking the boy over, she mentally gave a sigh, _'I wish I were younger...truly, age is a curse upon women.'_

"This is our room."

"Our? As in...you share a room with Mello?" Thinking it over, she knew that the one, two and three rated successors had their own rooms, so she wasn't sure why they shared a room.

"Yeah, well, more like, I play my games in here occasionally, then pass out. Roger moved a bed in here for me since Mello started complaining about me lying asleep on his floor all the time." He opened the door and pulled out a game boy from his back pocket before falling back on one of the two beds. She entered and saw the blonde pacing with a chocolate bar in hand.

"My word, should I leave, dear Mello? I seem to have caused you turmoil of some sort." She sighed sarcastically before moving in front of him, ignoring his glare and taking his hand in hers. "Mello, please have a seat. You are about to hear something that may make you hate me even more than you do now."

"I sincerely doubt it."

"...well...at least you're sincere."

Matt laughed, "Should I leave?"

"...no...I'll need to tell Near after you both hear this. First, listen to me carefully, Mello, Matt...I truthfully loved L, full heartedly...I would do _anything_...for that man."

The two stared at her, and, although Matt was confused, he could see how it was affecting Mello. His friend stood with clenched fists as he listened to the woman Matt knew next to nothing about.

"So...it pains me, that he would ask me to do this...I don't want to be a bearer of casualty and sorrow...but, L is dead. He died five days ago. He was killed by Kira, during his investigation...cause of death is unknown, killer is unknown...all I can tell you, is that...he wanted me to care for and help out his successors in anyway possible...in anyway I could."

"..." Matt looked to Mello who had taken on an ashen white complexion, now resembling near more than ever. His eyes wide with anger, hate, and sorrow. ...Distaste...was burning deep in his blue orbs, a look he rarely saw his friend take up, even when it concerned the blonde's albino rival.

"Is that it?" Mello said, keeping a leveled tone. "He's dead...so we should just continue like nothing has changed?"

Kagome stepped back as his voice grew louder, she wasn't used to children, hence why she had none...well...none that she'd taken care of. She especially wasn't used to them snapping at her like so..."Mello─"

"DON'T SAY MY NAME!"

"Grow up Mello! People DIE!" She yelled back, finally at her limit of reassurance and comfort. Both boys stared in shock, neither moved. "Do you think I wanted this! I LOVED HIM! I WISH HE WERE HERE NOW! SO THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT HE'S DEAD! I hate him for leaving..." Her voice grew distant and the two stared in surprise as tears began falling from her eyes. Mello stepped up to her and stared her hard in the eyes, "I hate myself for never returning...I wish I could redo it all...I would have been his partner had I chose to stay...it would have been me instead of him that had died," Her knee's gave out and she fell to the floor before them, her hands held her upright facing them. "He must of hated me when I had left...like that letter stated..."

"I read it...and he never said he hated you...he said, he was disappointed." Mello placed a hand on her head and bent forward so that he was looking directly into her eyes. His hair fell forward and framed his face in a way that gave him a picturesque look. "I hate you...for leaving...even if I don't know you, and that won't change, ever...however, I can't ignore the fact that you are here now. I think it's too late personally...but...then again, I'm not Near, and we've never seen things the same way. Knowing him, he'll probably say something like, 'if you say sorry, everything is okay again' but he doesn't no any better, so for this time, and this time only...I will show him, that what you did was wrong, and I will make him see you, as the person who abandoned him." He straightened up and turned his eyes to Matt before walking out of their room.

Matt knew that look, it meant follow. He held his hand out to Kagome, who hesitantly took it. Pulling her up, he glanced at her tearstained face and wondered what all of this was really about. Near? Abandoned? What was it that Mello was going to show Near? He didn't know, but he knew staying with Mello would clear things up. "Mello says a lot of things that, sometimes, he doesn't really mean. I don't know the situation, so I don't have any real opinion...I guess what I'm saying is...don't think badly of Mello."

Kagome smiled sadly, "You're a good friend, Matt." She placed a hand in her pocket and pulled it back out, closed tightly into a fist. She took his hand that had seconds ago held hers from pulling her up and moved her fisted hand over it before opening it and letting something trickle into his hand.

"Hm?" He looked into his hand and stared curiously, "I'm not religious, and I don't believe in god. That's Mello's thing."

"I know, I saw his crucifix...give that to him...it'll save him in the long run if he has it, I promise."

"Do I just tell him it's from you?"

"No...think something up, but he can't know that it's from me..." She turned and left, heading down the stairs to the common room with the many letters clutched tightly in her hands. Silently, she placed them in both her pockets before searching out the other successor.

**-x-x-x-**

Mello walked thoughtfully down the halls, his mind recalled the letter he'd read not even thirty minutes ago outside the library.

'_Nippon,_

_The year is 1995, it's August the 24th, and I've learned a secret of yours today. I decided to start writing letters to you, in hopes that one day, you might return to read them. You are very clever, Nippon, to have hidden yourself so well, and to have even snuck back onto Wammy's Grounds without being caught._

_For the longest time─_

**-x-x-x-**

**_(August, 24, 1995)_**

**-x-x-x-**

'_For the longest time I couldn't fathom why you would leave the orphanage without telling me, or even leaving some kind of address or way of contact. I thought, perhaps I had done something wrong, something to anger you, sadden you, or maybe even hurt you...I pondered this for several months...six to be exact...the day I chose to stop thinking about it...Roger brought in a baby from outside that was wrapped warmly in a wool blanket. The baby was a new born; a birth certificate was also with the child, appointing this day, four years ago, as its birth date.'_

_L looked behind him, a small child lay asleep in his bed while he sat at his des writing. It was somewhat strange, that the reason he now sat in his room, was a little boy. He rarely ever slept in his room, if at all. He used the pen in his hand to move the drape canopy sheet aside, gazing at the child that lay silently asleep. Turning back to the letter on his desk, he continued, feet in his chair, chin on his knees._

'_That was exactly four years ago year ago, and curiously, I began wondering, who the child belonged to. My curious nature is...as you've told me before...my one true weakness. As I found my self trying to figure out who the mother and father were, being that no name or hospital was placed on the birth certificate, nor a doctor or nurse, or anything helpful, but a name and birth date. I had almost decided not to worry about it, after having no leads for nearly four years, when Watari brought up an interesting observation. Stating ever so calmly that, 'the child has my eyes'. So, not thinking that I would actually gather much from it if I did, I went ahead and did a blood test. It would take a month before results returned, and be it for me to speed up irony, that the day I got the results back was the exact date, four years ago, that the child was brought to the orphanage, August, 24, 1991.'_

_L ran his fingers through his hair and sighed._

'_I was the baby's father; now, as I've only ever had intimate relations with one person, so I knew immediately, that he was also yours. Let me tell you the childs name that he will forever go by, so that maybe, one day, you may call him by such...'Near'...I gave him that name, choosing carefully. So Near, yet so far, he would never be able to know me as his father, and he may possibly never know you as his mother, so near, yet...so far. With this, I end this correspondence with one finale statement..._

_I was─'_

**-x-x-x-**

**November, 10, 2004**

**-x-x-x-**

'_I was very disappointed in you...Nippon..._

_Sincerely,_

_L~'_

Kagome sighed, "What did I do? Did I hurt somebody in a past life? Really, to deserve this..." She was sitting in the common room waiting for it to file out, reading the letter as the crowds thinned. She didn't want to cause a scene, and she knew how much attention she'd attract by going up to the must anti-social child in the common room. She wasn't a kid person, never was, and probably never would be...that was why she'd decided long ago to leave her son here. It wasn't that she didn't love him, hell, she had smothered the boy in kisses seconds after his birth, however, she was young, and scared...being only fifteen with a child...she didn't know how to handle that type of situation, so she trusted the only home she'd known since childhood, and remained hidden from anyone who would try to find her. She went by a name no one knew, and continued living as if a normal school girl, who proceeded getting a normal job, with normal friends and normal hobbies.

Kagome looked around and smiled, the room was finally empty aside from the boy playing with his puzzle. _'Definitely takes after L, no mistake about that! Boy's too quiet and too obedient to be anything like me. Where's that conniving mind, playing pranks, bully people, causing hell for old man Roger! SOMETHING!'_ She sat beside the boy who remained silent as he continued his puzzle, _'Also...where did the white hair come from? I know he's my son, he had white fuzz on his head at birth, so I know that much, also, it's natural...but, I have black hair, L has black hair...' _Kagome frowned, _"How did you get white hair..."_

The boy looked up, but she didn't take notice until he started talking. "Achromia, achromasia, or achromatosis is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes due to absence or defect of an enzyme involved in the production of melanin."

Kagome smiled, "Wah~ You're so smart Near. Actually, if I could have a moment with you..."

"..." He went back to his puzzle, but listened.

"Near, it's important that you pay attention carefully, and please..." She added this last part with Mello in mind, "...don't get mad at me."

"Why would I get mad at someone I don't know?"

'_...good point...too bad most of the world doesn't share the same perspective.' _ She noticed him staring at her knee and looked to see a piece of his puzzle hidden next to her. Taking it in her hand, she looked at the puzzle, "May I?"

He stared a moment before nodding.

She placed the white piece against one of the other white pieces and smiled at the perfect fit. "I used to go to thus orphanage...back when L was also a student here."

His movements slowed only slightly, but he continued placing pieces down. Every so often, the woman next to him would place another piece down.

"Like you and Mello, L and I were rivals, but...we were also partners."

"Partners?" Near stopped mid motion and looked up to the woman.

"Yes, in more ways than one. When I first met him, I was wild, rambunctious, and uncontrollable; those are Watari's words...now, when I think back on it, he was calm, discreet, and eccentric...in a good way. He never said much, and was always watching from a distance...Near...you know, you are a lot like him. While, Mello is a lot like me, sadly, the one thing that you both aren't similar to us in, is how we could adapt to the other, and become closer through are rivalry."

"Closer?" Near's eyes flickered behind Kagome for a moment, where he saw Mello and Matt peaking in from behind the door, Mello had a thoughtful look on his face as the two listened to the older woman.

"Well...I used to find him to be...the most _irritating_ type of person. I always had this feeling that he didn't talk to me at first because he thought he was too good to talk to me, silly...huh. Then, as time went by, two five year olds became best friends and study partners, occasionally case partners, and were number one and two in school. At twelve...they started dating...and at fifteen...they were parents."

Near's head snapped up at the last part, staring incredulously at her. "L has a child?"

Kagome gave a light laugh, "Yeah, he's a genius, just like his father, and just as eccentric too. Sadly, he didn't take after me...at least, not that I've seen so far."

"...how old is he?"

"Ah...he's thirteen,"

"..."

"He's thought very highly of by L, but L never showed it, since...he thought that the easiest way to keep his son safe. Near, it must have been hard growing up without your parents love or coddling..."

Slowly, Near began to realize what the woman before him was saying, "I'm..."

"Mm," She nodded, "L is your father, and you are his son, through and through, there is no doubt about it."

"What didn't L tell me himself, why you?"

"...L is dead..." She hated saying this, she hated it horribly, especially to her own son. Whether she was by his side all his life ore meeting for the first time since his birth, it sucked having to tell him that his father was dead. "He died five days ago, and so did Watari. Both were killed by Kira, causes are unknown, the public doesn't know, only you, Roger, Mello, Matt, those involved in the Kira investigation, Kira and myself. Near...you may hate me for leaving you, and you may be upset that L never told you, but know this, we both loved you so dearly. I was a coward, and he was trying to protect you...it wasn't the best way, maybe, but at fifteen years old, it was the only way we knew. I wish I could go back, and change how we did things, and if that were possible, in a heartbeat I would...but as it stands, it's not. Now, as L's successor, I need to know...what do you plan to do?"

It was a lot to throw at him. He didn't know how to react. His father was L, and he was killed by Kira, and this woman, who had yet to give her name, was his mother...and she wanted to know what he was going to do about it? About what? He couldn't think straight, and he was confused...but, no...he understood...

'_As L's successor...I need to capture Kira...as his son...I need to retaliate.' _Near stood up and stared down at Kagome, "What is your name?"

"...Kagome, Kagome Higurashi. The name on your birth certificate isn't right either; it's not Nate Rivers, its Nate Lawliet."

"...I see, L's last name...was Lawliet?"

"Yes..."

"...I'm going to think for a while, I haven't yet decided what the best course of action would be, but whatever it is, I won't be taking action yet."

"That's fine, I'll be staying here helping Roger with things around here for a while, so...if you need something, don't be afraid to ask."

Near nodded; walking out of the common room, leaving his puzzle behind for the first time since he'd made it years ago.

**-x-x-x-**

Near turned the corner to see Mello leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, "Mello has a bad habit of eavesdropping..."

"Are you just going to forgive her, for abandoning you here?"

Near subconsciously began twirling a lock of his hair around his finger. "Whether I forgive her or not, she's my mother. It doesn't matter either way. Right now, Kira is what's important, I will worry about family affairs once Kira is behind bars. Until then, she is Kagome Higurashi, childhood friend and partner of L Lawliet, renowned detective all over the world. This means that she'll be helpful in gathering information and helping capture Kira, and that's all that matters. Until he's either dead or behind bars, that's all they are to me."

Mello stared at Near for a moment before turning and walking off.

Matt sighed, he just knew that this was going to be a long day...and an even longer case. He knew that look in his friends eyes. He too would try capturing Kira...but, at what cost...He looked at the rosary that was still clutched in his hand and a thought came to mind. He couldn't just let his friend do something so dangerous without _some_ type of reassurance. But this would be tricky...could he do it?

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, this is actually a shout out for Bloodcherry who made the request for the update, so YAY~! Anyways, please Review! ^-^''**


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